3. Move Order Considerations

{In opening positions of calm nature and no
direct enemy contact, you often have the choice of different move orders to achieve your desired setup. In many cases, the specific move order
doesn't make a difference, but sometimes an optimal move order definitively
exists, either providing you with more flexibility in the future or,
contrariwise, depriving your opponent of certain options. In this game my 9th
move was bad, because it failed to eliminate an aggressive option of my
opponent.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 {Diagram [#] I
received a second chance to play the "little Spanish". This time, my opponent
developed his bishop more actively. Indeed, this boy was a genuine attacking
player, as you can see by the course of the game.} d6 6. Nbd2 a6 7. Bb3 O-O 8.
O-O Ba7 9. Re1 $2 {Diagram [#] Even though this is a normal move in this
structure, preparing Nd2-f1-g3, a look into ChessBase's online database easily
reveals, that it was a mistake in this specific position. Not only did the
correct move 9.h3 occur much more often, also the results after 9.Re1 ranged
clearly under 50%. Today, I would play 9.h3 and if 9..Be6, I would conserve
my piece potential with 10.Bc2. This is how the top protagonists play for an
advantage here.} Be6 $2 {The way to punish White for his inaccuracy is} (9...
Ng4 $1 10. Re2 Kh8 $1 11. h3 Nh6 {and Black is ready for 12..f5. Note that
Black doesn't have to be afraid of his h-pawn being doubled:} 12. Nf1 f5 13.
Bxh6 gxh6 {and Black is doing fine.}) 10. Nf1 (10. Bc2 $2 Ng4) 10... Qd7 ({
After} 10... Bxb3 11. Qxb3 Rb8 12. Be3 Bxe3 13. Nxe3 Qd7 14. Rad1 Rfe8 $1 {it
is difficult for White to come up with an exiting plan.} (14... Ne7 $6 15. Qc2
Ng6 16. d4 Rfe8 17. Nf5 $14)) 11. h3 (11. Bc2 Ng4 12. Ne3 Nxe3 13. Bxe3 Bxe3
14. Rxe3 f5 (14... Ne7 $5 15. d4 Ng6) 15. Ng5 f4 16. Bb3 Bxb3 17. Qxb3+ Kh8 18.
Rh3 h6 $13) 11... Rae8 12. Bc2 {Finally, I am able play this move under good
circumstances.} Ne7 $6 ({After} 12... d5 13. Bg5 {the possibility of Bxf6 is
awkward for Black. White doesn't have to necessarily capture the very next move,
but could reinforce his position by Qe2 or Ng3 before. Hence, going for
simplifications might be Black's best option:} dxe4 (13... Nh5 $6 14. Nxe5) 14.
dxe4 Qxd1 15. Raxd1 {Diagram [#] Even though the queens are off the board and
the pawn structure is somewhat symmetrical, White possesses the initiative due
to the potential threat of taking on f6, his control of the square d5 and
potential tactical options against the pawn e5.} Nd7 (15... Nh5 16. Be3 f6 (
16... Bxe3 17. Nxe3 {[%cal Ge3d5]}) 17. Ba4 $1) (15... Rd8 16. Ne3 Bxe3 17.
Bxe3 $14 {The two bishops give White a substantial advantage.}) (15... Bxa2 $2
16. b3) 16. Ne3 (16. Be3 $5 Rd8 17. Bxa7 Nxa7 18. Rd2 f6 19. Red1 Nc6 20. Ne3 {is
another option.}) 16... h6 {Since White's knight is ready to occupy d5,
Black wants to trade his bishop for it. Before doing so, he pushes White's
bishop to a passive square.} 17. Bh4 Bxe3 18. Rxe3 f6 19. b3 Rd8 20. Red3 Kf7
21. Nh2 $1 {White had two problematic pieces (Nf3 and Bh4) and this moves
liberates both of them.} Ke7 (21... h5 22. f3 {[%cal Gh4f2,Yh2f1,Yf1e3,Ye3d5]})
22. Ng4 Nc5 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Rxd8 Kxd8 25. f3 {[%cal Gh4f2,Yg4e3,Ye3d5,Ye3f5] The two bishops give White a long lasting endgame advantage.}) 13. Ng3 {
Diagram [#]} Bxh3 $2 {Certainly, this standard sacrifice has to be calculated
by the White player every move again in such positions, due to the presence of
the dangerous Ba7. But here, it simply doesn't work.} (13... Ng6 14. d4 $14 {
A note for readers, who are not familiar with this type of position: The fact,
that White started out rather passively with the pawn on d3, doesn't mean that
this structure has to stay like that forever. After White has completed his
development, he is ready to strike with d3-d4 at the first convenient moment.})
14. gxh3 Qxh3 {[%cal Rh3g3]} 15. d4 (15. Be3 $2 Bxe3 16. Rxe3 Ng4 17. Re2 Ng6
18. Qf1 Qh6 19. Nf5 Qh5 20. Rd2 Nf4 21. Ng3 Nh3+ 22. Kg2 Nf4+ 23. Kg1 $11)
15... Ng4 $2 (15... exd4 16. cxd4 Ng4 17. Qd3 $16 {leads to the game} (17. Bd3
$2 Bxd4 $19)) 16. Qd3 $2 {That's sufficient, but} (16. Bd3 Nf6 17. Bf1 Qe6 18.
Ng5 Qc8 19. Bh3 {is winning on the spot.}) 16... exd4 17. cxd4 f5 (17... Nc6
18. Qf1 Qxf1+ 19. Kxf1 Nxd4 20. Nxd4 Bxd4 21. f3 Ne5 22. Kg2 $16) (17... Ne5
18. Nxe5 dxe5 19. Nf5 Qg4+ 20. Kf1 Nxf5 21. exf5 Bxd4 22. Qe4 Qxe4 23. Bxe4 $16
) 18. exf5 Nxf5 (18... Nc6 19. Bb3+ Kh8 20. Rxe8 Rxe8 21. Qf1 $16) 19. Rxe8
Rxe8 20. Qxf5 Bxd4 21. Qd5+ (21. Nxd4 $4 Re1+) 1-0